Rapist preyed on pregnant teens, Bethlehem police say

More charges are filed against Bethlehem man accused of finding victims on Facebook.

Bethlehem police have filed additional charges in the case against alleged… (CONTRIBUTED, THE MORNING…)

February 20, 2013|By Pamela Lehman, Of The Morning Call

Bethlehem police filed additional rape and sexual assault charges Wednesday against a man they believe is a serial rapist who targeted his victims through Facebook, and court records say two teens were pregnant and fought him off to save their unborn children.

Police charged David Martinez, 20, in two cases involving 17-year-old pregnant girls. Two weeks ago, police charged him in two rape cases and authorities made a public appeal for other possible victims to come forward after Martinez told investigators, "I have met and had plenty of females on Facebook."

Two teens came to police and said Martinez knew they were pregnant when he attacked them, and they struggled against him to protect their unborn children.

In one of the cases, Martinez is charged with rape. The teen told police that Martinez put all his weight on top of her and she tried to protect the unborn child. She said she told Martinez to stop, but he raped her and then drove her home, according to court records.

The records say the girl told police that Martinez seemed to change during the attack.

"He had a look on his face, it didn't seem like it was David," court records state.

Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said there are now five victims. Martinez will be arraigned Thursday morning on rape and sexual assault charges in the fifth case. According to an arrest warrant filed Wednesday by Bethlehem police, that attack happened Jan. 3 in Freemansburg.

On Wednesday, Martinez was arraigned on charges including rape, attempted rape, indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and sexual assault. Bail in those two cases totals $525,000, and Martinez remains in Northampton County Prison under $200,000 bail in the previous cases.

Earlier this month, Bethlehem police charged Martinez in two rapes that investigators said happened last year at Martinez's home at 421 Maple St. in Bethlehem. Police said his victims were 14 and 17 and both had agreed to meet him face to face after becoming acquainted with him over Facebook.

In the newest cases against Martinez, both teens told police they were also contacted by Martinez through Facebook. One told police she had known Martinez before from "seeing him around," but agreed to hang out with him after receiving a Facebook message.

According to court records:

One teen told police she was contacted by Martinez last spring when he sent her a Facebook message. The girl said she told Martinez she was 4 months pregnant when they met.

Martinez told the teen several times she was beautiful, took her to a fast-food restaurant and drove her to a lookout in Bethlehem.

The girl told police that when Martinez began kissing her in his car, she pushed him away and told him, "This is not supposed to happen, we are friends."

She said that after he raped her, he drove her home.

Later that day, Martinez sent her a text message asking her to forgive him, she said.

"I don't want you to hate me," the text read. "Can you please keep this between us because that was definitely not me. I am sorry."

Police on Wednesday also charged Martinez with an attempted rape that happened in late 2011.

According to court records:

The teen told police she was 7 months pregnant when she posted photos on Facebook and Martinez commented on them. She said they agreed to meet and went to his home where they watched a movie.

During the movie, she said, Martinez asked if he could rub her belly because it was so big. She said he then pinned her down and kissed her while she told him to stop.

The girl said Martinez shoved her face down and put his weight on her while struggling to remove her clothes. She told police she tried to protect her unborn child while screaming at Martinez to stop.

After a 15-minute struggle, she said, Martinez left and later texted her, saying, "Never contact me again."

When he was charged in the cases two weeks ago, Martinez told detectives he has a sex addiction and needs help, according to court records. He admitted forcing himself on the two teens in Bethlehem and said he had similar encounters with others he met online, court records say.